[vc_section css_animation=”none”][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Introduction” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:45|text_align:left|line_height:45px” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css_animation=”none” css=””][vc_column_text css_animation=”none” css=”.vc_custom_1723033344880{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”]Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC), also referred to as, Institutional Review Board (IRB), Ethics Review Board (ERB) and Research Ethics Board (REB) across many countries and situations, serves as an independent and competent body to review, evaluate and decide on the scientific and ethical merits of research proposals. The primary purpose of the IEC is to protect the rights, safety and well-being of human subjects who participate in a research project. The IECs are entrusted with the initial review of the proposed research protocols prior to initiation of the projects and also have a continuing responsibility of regular monitoring of the approved research projects until they are completed. The function of the IECs is in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki by the World Medical Association (WMA) in 1964.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][/vc_section][vc_section css_animation=”none”][vc_row content_placement=”middle” shadow_x_offset=”0″ shadow_y_offset=”0″ shadow_blur=”0″ shadow_spread=”0″][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Tech4Health Foundation’s IEC” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:45|text_align:left|line_height:45px” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css_animation=”none” css=””][vc_column_text css_animation=”none” css=”.vc_custom_1753766034119{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”]The Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) of the Tech4Health Foundation, constituted in June 2024, is recognized as a registered body by the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. The provisional registration certificate for Tech4Health Foundation’s IEC can be found here. The purpose of the IEC is to protect human subjects through ensuring the highest ethical standards and conduct in research carried out by researchers across India.

The IEC is headed by a Chairperson and supported by nine other members including the Member Secretary. The composition of the IEC is a mix of members from different disciplines including public health specialists, social scientists, medical doctors/clinicians, pharmacologists, bioengineers biotechnologists, legal experts, lay persons, and other supporting members.

As recommended in the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines, the basic responsibility of the IEC is “to ensure the protection of the dignity, rights, safety, and well-being of the research participants” (ICMR 2017, p 33). Guided by the recommendations of the ICMR, the purpose of the IEC of Tech4Health Foundation is to review research involving human participants, to ensure that subjects’ safety, rights, and welfare are protected in conformity with applicable regulations and guidelines issued by the ICMR, Indian state and local laws and regulations where such laws or regulations provide protection for human subjects that exceed the protection afforded under national law.

The SOP for the Tech4Health Foundation’s IEC can be downloaded here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][/vc_section][vc_section full_width=”stretch_row” css_animation=”none” css=”.vc_custom_1723741495083{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Features and Functionality” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:45|text_align:left|line_height:45px” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css_animation=”none” css=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row gap=”35″ shadow_x_offset=”0″ shadow_y_offset=”0″ shadow_blur=”0″ shadow_spread=”0″][vc_column width=”1/4″][stm_icon icon=”stmicon-fast-delivery”][vc_custom_heading text=”Fast Turnaround” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1723055876486{margin-bottom: 14px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][stm_icon icon=”stmicon-paper2″][vc_custom_heading text=”Paperless System” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1723055897134{margin-bottom: 14px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][stm_icon icon=”stmicon-charity_like”][vc_custom_heading text=”Diverse Expertise” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1723055941042{margin-bottom: 14px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][stm_icon icon=”stmicon-database2″][vc_custom_heading text=”Data Protection” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1723055959146{margin-bottom: 14px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=””][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][/vc_section][vc_section css_animation=”none”][vc_row shadow_x_offset=”0″ shadow_y_offset=”0″ shadow_blur=”0″ shadow_spread=”0″][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Tech4Health Foundation’s IEC Members” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:45|text_align:left|color:%230a4e5f|line_height:45px” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1723131539820{margin-bottom: 35px !important;}”][stm_staff_container layout=”grid” style=”style_7″ cols=”3″][stm_staff name=”Dr Sangeeta Sharma” image_size=”408×499″ job=”Chairperson” description=”Professor & Head, Department of Neuropsychopharmacology, Institute of Human Behaviour & Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Delhi” css=”.vc_custom_1727238662243{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}” email=”sharmasangeeta2003@gmail.com” image=”6634″][stm_staff name=”Dr Chand Wattal” image_size=”408×499″ job=”Clinician” description=”Chairperson, Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi” image=”6635″ email=”chandwattal@gmail.com” css=”.vc_custom_1727238692423{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][stm_staff name=”Dr Ambujam Nair Kapoor” image_size=”390×478″ job=”Medical Scientist” description=”Ex Senior Advisor, Immunization Techinal Support Unit – Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Public Health Foundation of India” image=”6637″ css=”.vc_custom_1751541048676{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}” email=”ambujam@gmail.com”][stm_staff name=”Dr Deepshikha” image_size=”408×499″ job=”Social Scientist” description=”Fellow, One Health Trust, Bengaluru” image=”6432″ css=”.vc_custom_1723131012187{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}” email=”deepshikha@onehealthtrust.org”][stm_staff name=”Adv TK Ramkumar” image_size=”408×499″ job=”Legal Expert” description=”Advocate, Ram & Rajan Associates, Chennai” image=”6427″ css=”.vc_custom_1727238805616{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}” email=”tkr@ramandrajan.com”][stm_staff name=”Ms. Archika Dwivedi” image_size=”315×315″ job=”Member Secretary” description=”Project Manager, One Health Trust, Bengaluru” image=”6708″ css=”.vc_custom_1756183437856{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}” email=”adwivedi@tech4health.org.in”][stm_staff name=”Mr. Tomojit Ukil” image_size=”315×315″ job=”Member/Alternate Member Secretary” description=”Research Analyst, One Health Trust, Bengaluru” css=”.vc_custom_1756187120571{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}” email=”tomojit@onehealthtrust.org” image=”6718″][stm_staff name=”Mr Saptarshee Mazumdar” image_size=”408×499″ job=”Lay Person” description=”Assistant Professor, St Claret College, Bengaluru” css=”.vc_custom_1727238891963{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}” email=”saptarshee1997@gmail.com” image=”6429″][stm_staff name=”Mr Muralidharan Kallayil” image_size=”315×315″ job=”Supporting Staff” description=”Head, Administration, One Health Trust, Bangalore” image=”6666″ css=”.vc_custom_1751540445501{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}” email=”kallayil@cddep.org”][/stm_staff_container][/vc_column][/vc_row][/vc_section]